Police Blotter, Week of July 31, 2014

Wheels of justice turn in Nolita?Hey! Someone give that guy a ticket! A bike-patrol police officer was caught riding his official police Trek bike on the sidewalk in on Mott St. between Prince and Spring Sts. It’s great to see police on bicycles — but does this mean no one else will get tickets when they pedal on the pavement?Photo by Jason B. Nicholas

Bar card swipeOn Thurs., July 24, at the Up and Down bar and nightclub, at 224 W. 14th St., a man was charged with stealing a patron’s wallet and spending money on her credit cards.

A female victim, 26, stated that while she was using the women’s restroom at the club, an unidentified man approached her and tried to engage her in conversation, according to police reports. After the man followed her from the restroom when she left to rejoin her friends, the victim remembered putting her wallet down and leaving it unattended. An hour after she left the bar, she realized that her wallet was missing, and alerted club management.

A female bartender, 30, reported that she observed the same man using one of the victim’s credit cards to purchase drinks, and allegedly signing a fraudulent signature to pass himself off as the card’s holder.

Aaron Lorenzo, 25, was arrested at 2 a.m., and was charged with grand larceny, felony. In addition to the wallet, valued at $500, he stole two debit cards, two credit cards, a Virginia driver’s license, and $400 in cash, police said.

Meatpacking pickAt 2 a.m. on Fri., July 25, two patrons of the Gansvoort Hotel reported getting pickpocketed by an unknown man.

A female victim, 23, stated that someone removed property from her purse without permission. She was reportedly missing three credit cards; her IDs; her gold iPhone 5S, valued at $600; and a Tom Burch cellphone case, valued at $60, and matching wallet, valued at $90.

Later, a male victim, 34, said that his black iPhone 5, valued at $500, was taken from his pocket and was missing.

Hotel security observed Howard McCormick, 48, leaving the place with the alleged stolen items in hand, and held him for police. Police arrived on scene to recover the stolen property, and charged McCormick with grand larceny.

Fought with copsA man was slapped with felony charges for assault when he resisted arrest and reportedly fought with police officers on Saturday.

While officers were trying to clear the block of a large dispute across the street from 168 Bleecker St. at 4:32 a.m. that morning, a man later identified as Dan Smith, 24, reportedly “squared up in a fighting stance,” refused to disperse, and shoved an officer in the chest, according to the police report. When an officer went to make the arrest, Smith kept bouncing around and screaming, “I’m not going down!”

The officer struggled to get the man pinned against the patrol car as he resisted arrest. In so doing, the officer’s wrist got stuck under Smith, and after the arrest was finally made, the officer reportedly complained of “substantial pain and swelling.”

The officer was later removed to the new Lenox Hill HealthPlex, at 30 Seventh Ave., for treatment of his hand.

Citi Bike bustAt 12:47 p.m. on Saturday, police observed a man disobey two steady red traffic signals while riding a Citi Bike in front of 850 Broadway, near 14th St.

Upon further investigation, the $1,200 bike was found to be stolen, and Frank Calaluce, 42, was arrested for grand larceny. He could not produce a valid receipt for the bike, which was determined to have last been docked at a Citi Bike station on E. 10th St.

When police searched Calaluce, they found two hypodermic needles with “alleged heroin residue” in his backpack, according to the police report. They also found a sunglasses case, with a clear Ziploc bag of alleged marijuana inside.

Christopher scuffleWhile driving a patrol car on Hudson St. at 11:20 p.m. on Monday, officers observed two men “unsafely cross against the light” at the Christopher St. intersection, and almost get hit by their car.

When the two officers stepped out of the vehicle and asked for identification, one man complained, while the other reportedly refused, and fought with them.

Solomon Lambert, 32, reportedly punched and kicked the officers, causing injuries to them. While handcuffed, he continued to resist being placed in the patrol car, and “required leg shackles,” according to the police report.

One officer was kicked in the left hand, and took a bus to the Lenox Hill HealthPlex for treatment. Lambert was arrested and faces felony charges for assault.

Snatched his gearAn 18-year-old reported a robbery to police at 4:50 p.m. on Monday, after two other teens stole his iPod and assaulted him.

The victim sated he was walking on E. 13th St., when the two men snatched his iPod, Beats headphones and a gold chain he wore around his neck. When he tried to take back his possessions, one of the men allegedly punched him in the face, causing lacerations.

The victim followed the pair and alerted police. A female witness, 67, confirmed his story.

Christopher Wilder and Richard Silva, both 19, tried to run, but were arrested by police. They were charged with robbery. Police recovered the stolen items — the iPod, valued at $150; the Beats headphones, valued at $275; and a gold chain, valued at $100.

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